Some Information in English Language

A Warm Welcome to the District of Freising

The District of Freising is located between the Bavarian capital Munich and the largest hop-growing area of the world, famous Hallertau. In the past decades the district changed massively: The formerly rather rural area developed to a much sought-after business location with one of the lowest unemployment rates in Germany.

The well-balanced mixture of undertakings of different sizes and industries, the vicinity of the State capital Munich, the favourable transport connections and the outstanding infrastructure lure employers and employees alike. Here they can find the necessary child care facilities, all types of schools and two universities. An outstanding hospital and a broad spectrum of physicians in private practice provide medical care. For quality time discover and enjoy art treasures, beauties of nature and traditions in the 24 cities, towns and municipalities.

People like living here. The district of Freising is cosmopolitan and attached to its home at the same time – maybe this is the reason why you simply feel good here.

Adventurous Past

Already thousands of years ago people were in search for a place to live. The archaeological association (Archäologischer Verein) traces the footsteps of exactly these people – and makes partially sensational discoveries. The oldest find is a biface made of flint stone stemming from the time of the Neanderthals. Its age is estimated with approximately 100,000 years. Stone tools dating back to the Middle Stone Age as of 10,000 B.C. are also discovered time and again in the last few decades. Hunters and gatherers wandered through our region at the end of the Ice Age, set up their open air camps in the warm summer months and thereby occasionally lost their stone tools at the river edges. The actual colonization of our district started around 6,000 B.C., when peasants advanced to our today’s district during their peregrination along the rivers Isar and Amper, seeking convenient settlement sites. They obviously found plenty of such settlement sites on the loess surfaces along the courses of the rivers and rivulet streams north of Freising. During Roman Times, the southern district used to be an important traffic junction. Three large roads coming from the south, west and north merged here. The withdrawal of the Romans had not led to abandoning the settlement. The then existing traffic and administration structures were rather taken over by the succeeding ancient Bavarians.

With the work of the wandering bishop Corbinian almost 1,300 years ago the traditional role of Freising as episcopal city began. In the course of establishing the diocese Freising by St. Boniface in the year 739 B.C. the Domberg (“Cathedral Hill”) became the bishop’s see. Over the centuries, Freising at the same time developed to a sovereign state, and the Prince-bishops as secular and clerical leaders reigned from their see on Domberg. In the Middle Ages, for instance, the Domberg was called “mons doctus” – the mountain of erudition, since from here highly intellectual men administered the diocese as bishops. Arbeo (764 to 783 B.C.) is said to be the first Bavarian historian, who established the Domschule (“Cathedral School”) and provided the cathedral library with precious manuscripts. Bishop Otto I. (died in 1158) descended from the imperial lineage of the Babenberger family and is one of the most important medieval historians. In 1159 a disastrous fire wracked and ruined the Cathedral and the city. Aided by the emperor, the still existing Romanic Cathedral was built, to which elements of all other stylistic periods were added through the years. For its millennial anniversary in 1724, the Lord’s house was redesigned by the Asam brothers Cosmas Damian and Ägid Quirin. The Freising Cathedral was recently completely restored and regularly attracts lots of visitors, not only since the visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.

On August 23, 1802 the troops of Kurbayern (the three oldest parts of the Free State of Bavaria) invaded Freising. They occupied the Domberg and the Weihenstephan hill. On November 27, 1802, Kurbayern formally seized Freising. From then on, Freising was no longer the capital of a sovereign state, but only a small Bavarian provincial town. The secularization following thereafter resembled a cultural revolution: Abbeys and monasteries were closed, churches and chapels were deemed unnecessary and dispensable and were thus torn down, and the most precious art treasures were auctioned or sold at the cheapest rates. Freising was literally bankrupt. At those times, the population figures are reported to have declined from about 6,000 to 3,500 people.

Only slowly did Freising recover from the hard blow of secularization. In 1821 the new archdiocese Munich and Freising with the bishop’s see in Munich was established. With the seminary, the philosophical-theological university as well as other schools and institutions on the Domberg new mental and spiritual life began to flourish. Since 1972 the Domberg is still the see of a regional bishop. Today not only the Freising Cathedral is located on the Domberg, but also further important cultural venues, including the cathedral library of Freising with its gorgeous baroque hall, the diocesan museum for Christian art as second largest Christian museum world-wide, and the Centre for life-long learning, the Kardinal-Döpfner-Haus.

Today’s district of Freising largely developed from the area of the Prince-bishopric Freising as well as from the Kranzberg and Moosburg district courts that were in the hands of the House of Wittelsbach. Moosburg is mentioned first in history in the year 769 as Benedictine abbey. Bishop Egilbert (1005 to 1039) transferred this Benedictine abbey to Weihenstephan and replaced it by a collegiate church. In the Romanic monastery church the relics of the catacomb saint Castulus are the main attraction. About the end of the 16th century the entire monastery was moved to Landshut because of power-political considerations. The counts of Moosburg were always keen on their upcoming settlement until they died out in the 13th century. In 1331, Moosburg was chartered, and in the course of time this town was even promoted to the seat of the ducal district court. Today, the town Moosburg on the Isar is a middle-order centre, and the conspicuous spires of St. Castulus and St. John are the town’s landmarks. The Castulus Minster accommodates several outstanding artworks of the important sculptor of Landshut, Hans Leinberger. A masterpiece of the South-German late-gothic is his towering carved wing altar.

However, numerous other municipalities of the district of Freising have churches and chapels in abundance, which are partially regarded as significant civil works equipped with artistically valuable sculptures. Only exemplary reference is made to Airischwand, Allershausen, Großeisenbach, Gelbersdorf, Haag, Hohenkammer, Hörgertshausen, Kirchdorf, Piedendorf, St. Alban and Wies near Freising. The castles in the district such as Au, Asch, Haindlfing, Hohenkammer, Inkofen and Isareck remind of the former social order and the marcher lords.

Economy and Work: A Strong Business Location

Surveys reveal now and again that the district of Freising ranks first among the German cities and districts in terms of the best future prospects for its population. Freising is also among the top locations in surveys regarding the life quality or living quality. The individual factors leading to these valuations are identical or similar in most of these surveys: First and foremost the level of employment, the excellent transport connections, but also the offers in the field of care and education facilities, the medical care, the local traffic system as well as soft location factors such as nature, landscape and the cultural offer play a major role. The district of Freising moreover still has growth in employment figures. Considering that the unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the whole of Germany, one can speak about full employment. In spite of a rapidly grown "high tech landscape" the district of Freising still has an outstanding industrial mix with medium-sized companies. Far more than 4,000 enterprises offer jobs to about 66,000 employees liable to contribute to social security. This is a clear indication for it that the medium-sized companies are the most important group of employers.

The service providers are on top of the value creation chain. They are the most important growth drivers. Three fourth of the economic performance are generated in trade, traffic and services, and only one percent is generated in agriculture. Moreover, the region is also one of Germany’s top locations in the fields of biotechnology and logistics. Also the fields of competence nutrition and food sciences or the information and communication technologies need not fear competition. This trend was supported by the foresighted plans of municipalities and with the support of the district for instance with the designation of industrial parks.

In the meantime, the district grows by some 2,000 people each year. With an average age of 38 years the district has the youngest population in the whole of Bavaria. The perpetual population growth is responsible for high requirements regarding the infrastructure in the district and the municipalities. The public hand correspondingly primarily invests in schools, facilities for children and elderly people as well as in the development of the public local traffic and streets.

Setting Up Businesses

The unit for the promotion of economic development in the District Office provides detailed information for entrepreneurs and start-ups in paper form or on the Internet (www.kreis-freising.de) comprising the diverse contact persons and support programs available. Once a month the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the association Aktivsenioren Bayern offer consultation hours in the District Office of Freising. The association Aktivsenioren Bayern e.V. is represented throughout Bavaria. Its members are retired experts sharing their professional and life experiences with others. They offer practical support in economy and technics to those searching advice and use their commitment to contribute to maintaining existing jobs and creating new ones. The members of Aktivsenioren Bayern e.V. are no acquisitive corporate consultants, but rather work honorary for a minor contribution covering their expenses.

Business Development

The subject area “Business Development” of the district of Freising addresses companies and enterprises of the domestic economy as well as national and international companies that are interested in settling in the area. The unit “Business Development” is also the contact point for entrepreneurs, start-up companies, counselling pertaining to support possibilities, information regarding the industrial real estates as well as location data and facts; it thus has an interface function connecting administration and economy. The industrial areas are spread throughout the entire district. Further information can be obtained on the internet from the "Location Information System Bavaria" of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce under www.sisby.ihk.de.

Tourism

A region in the north of the district is well-known all over the world: the hop-growing region Hallertau. With its 17,800 hectare the world's largest connected hop growing area extends over the four districts Freising, Kelheim, Landshut and Pfaffenhofen. Hop poles towering up to seven metres, interspersed by barley and corn fields, crisscrossed by crystal-clear rivulets. It is pretty easy to see: Here is where the most indispensible fundamental components for beer-making are harvested. Many of the more than 5,000 German beer brands have a little piece of Hallertau in them. That way, this region has already touched many people in the most literal physical sense. The four hop-growing districts have established a working group advertising for the scenic beauty and the art and culture of this hop-growing area steeped in tradition. "Soft tourism" is intended to help farmers and innkeepers in developing additional sources of income, be that by means of agrotourism, self-marketing of agricultural products or the revitalization of inns, guest-houses and beer gardens. The working group not only published some brochures on the topic, but rather also a leisure time map showing the most beautiful cycling tours through the hop-growing region. The map also contains the twelve kilometre adventure path "Hops and Beer" between Mainburg and Ratzenhofen. Whoever wanders along this path learns everything worth knowing about hops and beer from 15 wall charts – analogous to the 15 seal counties (certifying the provenience of the hops).

In the Hallertau region a lot of feasts and events take place particularly during harvest time. The traditional so-called “Hopfazupfafeste” [hop harvesting feasts] offer the possibility to try harvesting hop by oneself. Bicyclists are invited to join guided cycle tours through the hop gardens. Who wants to bind a hop crown can address the committed female hop farmers for advice and help.

The German Hops Route starts in Freising, the cultural centre of the district. The Cathedral Hill of Freising is one of the places in Bavaria most steeped in history. In fact, for many the Cathedral Hill of Freising was the central point and heart of Bavaria’s catholic world. This is also why Pope Benedict XVI. came to Freising first during his visit to Bavaria. The Cathedral with its Romanesque crypt and the Rubens altar watches over a city which is still one of the most modern cities in Bavaria: the centre of life sciences, which settled where the oldest brewery of Bavaria is located as well. The international connectedness is secured by the vicinity to Munich Airport - with a large variety of hotels making a stay in this old and at the same time seminal city pleasant. The citizens of Freising esteem the appealing landscape of the Hallertau region as popular destination "just around the corner". The rustic, traditional beer gardens enjoy great popularity during the summer months.

The brochure “Hopfenland Hallertau “ [Hop-Growing Region Hallertau] is available in the District Office. It contains a detailed list of hosts and a lot of advice (also in English) as well as addresses for leisure time and recovery. On the internet please refer to www.hopfenland-hallertau.de. The magazine “freising erleben” [experience Freising] renders information about the landmarks and the history of the city.

Energy Transition 2035

The District Council aims at supplying energy from renewable resources to the entire district of Freising until 2035. This target should be reached by reducing energy consumption, by efficient energy generation and efficient use of energy as well as by applying renewable energy sources. The energy transition should help preserving the natural livelihood and secure the region’s economic power and quality of life. Fossil energy carriers such as coal, oil and gas are still available for only a restricted time. Moreover, the use of these materials bears some risks: sulphur dioxide, for instance, is the main pollutant responsible for acid fallout, and carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. This leads to climate changes having considerable impact also for the generations to come. An increase in the number of occurrences of extreme weather conditions such as draughts and floods can already be observed. This is why a sensible energy management is the order of the day.

The district of Freising is actively engaged in the conservation of natural resources for some time now. In April 2004, the District Office took over the auspices for the country-wide campaign "SolarRegion Freisinger Land". The campaign is honorary supported by the association “Sonnenkraft Freising”, the association “Solarfreunde” Moosburg, and the associations Freisinger Land and Bund Naturschutz. The target was and is to increase the use of solar energy in our district. The district is moreover shareholder of the company Easy Energiedienste, with which the association “Sonnenkraft Freising” supports the establishment of citizens’ solar parks. On the rooftop of the municipal service in Zolling, for instance, in April 2005 a citizens’ solar park was erected. In autumn 2007 this park was extended: six new solar plants with six kilowatt peak performance were added. On the newly built sports hall of the secondary modern school in Moosburg a new photovoltaic plant was erected as well. For this purpose, the roof surface of about 550 m2 extending to the south was used. The plant has a peak performance of 65 kilowatt and an annual output of approximately 60,000 kilowatt hours. According to the statistics of the German weather service, the district of Freising is one of the sun-richest regions in the Federal Republic. The increased use of solar energy for instance by establishing citizens’ solar parks is therefore a sustainable contribution to a reasonable energy policy.

The brochure “Energiewende im Landkreis Freising. Langfristig planen – clever sparen“ [Energy transition in the district of Freising. Planning in the long run – clever saving] provides an insight in the various possibilities of saving energy. Neutrally and understandably this guidebook additionally contains information regarding the application of alternative energy forms. It is available in the town halls and the District Office or can be downloaded on the homepage of the District Office www.kreis-freising.de.

Politics and Administration

The District

The district of Freising has about 170,000 inhabitants (as per 2015). The whole area has a surface of approximately 800 square kilometres. Pursuant to the law of the Federal Republic of Germany, a district is a "municipal political division" with the right to regulate and manage supra-local matters, the significance of which does not exceed the district area, in accordance with the statutory provisions. This is what Article 1 of the Rural Districts Act for the Free State of Bavaria provides. The district is thus responsible for all public duties exceeding the capability of one single municipality. It is thereby differentiated between the district’s own scope of operation and the scope of operation assigned by the State Government.

In the district’s own scope of operation, said districts have to establish public facilities within the limits of their capabilities and fulfil the tasks that are necessary for the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of their inhabitants. This includes among other things the establishment and maintenance of hospitals, social welfare, youth welfare, waste disposal, transport of pupils, construction and maintenance of district roads, the sponsorship for operational expenses for secondary schools and schools for children with learning difficulties, care of the elderly and many more.

The assigned scope of operation actually comprises State duties, which were assigned to the districts by law in order to fulfil such tasks on behalf of the State government. The State government is obliged to provide the necessary means. This includes the right to pass orders regarding for instance landscape conservation areas, or the implementation of the housing allowance act, the law on securing financial support, meat hygiene, etc. Not least is the district as lower state administrative unit responsible for mere State duties, such as the control of legality of municipalities, civil protection and emergency management, law on firearms and explosives, law on construction planning and construction regulations, street traffic, registration of passenger cars, waste legislation, etc.

The self-administration bodies of the district have no rights of participation in State matters. However, the chief administrative officer is a bridge between the local self-administration and the State administration. He fulfils a double task just like the District Office.

Chief administrative officer

The chief administrative officer is a public officer of the district; he is a temporary official and is directly elected in Bavaria for a mandate of six years by the citizens of the district and is supported by electors’ trust. Josef Hauner (Christlich Soziale Union) was elected chief administrative officer in 2014. The district council voted for the proxy chief administrative officer among its members and elected Robert Scholz (Freie Wähler) and Birgit Mooser-Niefanger (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen).

The chief administrative officer is a member in the district committees with a right to vote; he presides these committees and is responsible for the enforcement of the decisions passed. The chief administrative officer deals with the running matters of district administration in his own authority. If it comes to rendering immediate assistance – for instance in case of catastrophes - or if it comes to holding off a damage from the district or making use of an advantage available only for a very short time, the chief administrative officer is moreover entitled to pass so-called urgent directives and handle with businesses not to be delayed. He then has to notify the District Council or district committee in the next session. The chief administrative officer represents the district to the outside. He signs contracts, for instance, executes by-laws and ordinances (he may delegate a majority of these authorizations to the civil servants of the district), and performs voting rights to which the district is entitled in other institutions. The chief administrative officer manages the District Office, he is thus supervisor of the employees of the state and the district working there.

The work of a chief administrative officer is not at all restricted to desk work. For his personal decisions and for the district it is rather necessary for him to be well informed also about the projects and plans coming from the outside (the Federal government, Federal Länder and other districts); he will try to obtain a seat and a vote in corresponding committees in order to have an influence on such projects in the interest of his district’s policy. Representing a district also means attending various events in the district, e.g. dispositions of associations and organizations or other institutions. For the purpose of a good local policy and the desired closeness to the citizen these are also a fixed part of the scope of duties of a chief administrative officer.

The District Council and its Commissions

The District Council constitutes the representation of all citizens of a district and is elected directly by the population in a direct, free and secret ballot. In the district of Freising, the Council consists of 70 council members and the chief administrative officer. The duties of the District Council are provided by law. The Council decides in all important matters of county administration and supervises these matters. The Council particularly controls the implementation of its decisions. Practically this happens in that the chief administrative officer reports to the committee in the sessions about the processing of the administrative transactions. This helps maintaining the contact between the deciding body and the administration. The law provides a long list of the matters that are of such importance that only the District Council may deal with them (Rural Districts Act); the District Council may even add to this list in its standing orders. This pertains for instance to the decisions regarding the seat of the district administration, the name of the district, acceptance and change of coat of arms and flags or the adoption of the budget. In order to accelerate decision-making processes and to disburden the members of the District Council, committees are established. These particularly deal with special questions, which they can discuss and possibly settle in advance. The district committee has an important position among the committees. It is responsible for all matters that are not reserved for the District Council, other decision-making committees or the chief administrative officer. Moreover, in the district committee all decisions are pre-discussed that have to be made by the District Council. Along with the district committee there are committees for school, culture and sports, the committee for planning and environment, the committee for youth welfare, the committee for development in the district and infrastructure as well as the auditing committee.

Town Partnership

The partnership between Weifang and the district of Freising was concluded in 1987 and consolidated by numerous mutual visits. In the early 1980ies, China started its policy of opening to the outside world under Deng Xao Ping. Shortly thereafter, the province of Shandong looked for a partner in Germany. In July 1987 the Free State of Bavaria and the Province of Shandong concluded a partnership agreement. Already in the autumn of the previous year, i.e. in 1986, a Chinese delegation had visited the district of Freising. The guests from China were shown the facilities in Weihenstephan as well as numerous companies in the district. The delegation from Weifang was very impressed by the infrastructure of the district of Freising, but also by the kindness of the population. This first extremely positive contact led to it that both sides aspired to an official partnership. In October 1987 a first delegation of the district headed by chief administrative officer Ludwig Schrittenloher travelled to Weifang, where the partnership agreement was solemnly concluded on October 18, 1987. In spring 1988 the next trip to Weifang took place, and in December 1988 the district of Freising again welcomed its guests from China. Since then there have been numerous visits and counter-visits in the framework of which it was often about economic contacts, but increasingly also about the fields of vocational education, the vocational education system and medical science.

In autumn 2007 the guests from Weifang and their partners in the district of Freising celebrated the 20th anniversary of their partnership.

The region of Weifang has a surface of about 16,000 square kilometres with 8.5 million people living there. It consists of four urban districts, two rural districts and six district towns. Weifang is located halfway between Jinan and Qingdao; it is connected to these two economic centres of the province of Shandong per railway and motorway. The local airport is approached by 17 national airlines, in the north of the region there are some smaller harbours. The region is an important industrial site and at the same time rich in minerals such as iron, coal, gold, crude oil, granite and marble. The occurrence of sapphires is the largest in China. The most important industry branches are textiles, engineering, chemistry, electronics, light industry and building materials. However, the most important economic factor is the agriculture. Weifang is the most important agricultural region of Shandong producing primarily corn, peanuts, cotton, fruits, vegetables and tobacco; in addition, silkworms, poultry and seafood are bred. Weifang is known as the town of the kites. Since 1984 every year in April the international kite festival is taking place. Many kite lovers from all over China and the world come to Weifang. Close to the Fuyan Mountains elevating behind the town they fly their newest and most beautiful kites. The largest kite is reported to weigh 3,000 kilograms with a length of 1,500 metres. And the smallest kite fits into a matchbox. During the kite festival at the end of April, Weifang becomes a world of kites.

The Coat of Arms

The official description of the district’s coat of arms, which was officially approved by the government in 1954, reads as follows: “Under the chief with the Bavarian rhombus divided by Red and Gold, in the front a blackamooor’s head with a red crown and a red earring looking to the left, in the back a silver heraldic rose.” The white (silver) and blue rhombus (“Wecken”) in the chief indicate that the areas of the former District courts of Kranzberg and Moosburg used to be important administrative centres of the Bavarian dukes and the later electoral princes. At the same time, it is expressed that the district of Freising today belongs to the Free State of Bavaria. As of the end of the 12th century until the secularization in 1802/1803 the crowned Moor's head used to be a national emblem of the diocese and monastery of Freising, the heartland of which is in the district area today. The white (silver) rose is taken from the coat of arms of the counts of Moosburg, the male line of whom died out in 1281, and at the same time reminds of the town of Moosburg in the northern district.

The flag of the district shows the main colours of the coat of arms: white (silver) – red – gold.

The District Office and its Tasks

In accordance with the general duties of a District Office, the District Office deals with district tasks as well as with State tasks. Insofar, it is an authority with double features building a bridge between the State administration and the municipal self-administration. The district is one of the most important employers – in fact, about 450 employees and civil servants work for the District Office.

Leisure Time and Relaxation

Experiencing Nature

The nature in the district of Freising shows its beauty, but first and foremost its diversity between the rivers Isar and Amper, between the widely visible Munich gravel plain, the downs of the Hallertau region, in the forests and the fen area. The seven nature protection areas and five landscape conservation areas accounting for one fourth of the entire district surface are a Mecca for nature lovers. These areas are the home of many rare plant and animal species. There is always something to be seen and observed. Many nice paths invite to a walk, nature lovers will always find some silent observation spots.

Sports and Exercise

On the weekends and during the holidays the nature and the landscapes attract many citizens of the district, but also from regions farer away to cycling along the Isar, jogging in the fen region Freisinger Moos, or Nordic Walking along the river Amper. And the silent, discreet landscape of the Hallertau region is best suitable for wandering and taking a walk or cycling. Circular routes and cycle paths pass through hop gardens and natural idyll, and one is spoilt for choice, whether to do it sportsmanlike demanding, or rather unhurried with a visit of a cosy beer garden. For those who want to have it even more comfortable, a ride with a horse-drawn carriage in the summer months provides astonishing sights of the nine metre high densely grown hop gardens. Numerous swimming lakes and bathing ponds lure to take a swim on warm summer days.

In the district of Freising a lot is done for cyclists. Maps of cycling trails support the route planning. Comfortable tours are directed to sights and natural monuments along separate bicycle lanes or along roads with only little traffic. For those who prefer longer distances, seven distant cycling trails are available in the district. Whoever wants to combine the excursion with sightseeing will certainly enjoy the cycling and wandering circular route "Culture and Nature" of the City of Freising. A Nordic Walking path in the Freising forest (Freisinger Forst) along the road to Wippenhausen helps staying in shape. The Kranzberg forest near Freising offers something very special for its visitors. In the forest you can see giant redwood trees, Japanese cedars and some other rare trees. All around the forest church Oberberghausen the forestry office of Freising has established an arboretum. On two circular paths along the oldest plantings you can observe the growing together of little trees to an extraordinary Exotic forest.

A further very lively project in the forest attracts the attention of walkers. In the popular beer garden "Plantage" in the Freising forest an interesting adventure route of the City of Freising and the forest enterprise of Freising/Bayerische Staatsforsten begins. Along the circular route of two kilometres not only the ecological system forest is explained. The names of many trees, their properties and use can be playfully learnt from the various information charts. Carved animal figures at the wayside remind of the bird populations in the trees. Nine topical stations activate all senses. The ecological system of a forest is thus becoming experiencable again and interesting at that due to the perpetual smaller and larger amendments enabled by the development association "Förderverein Walderlebnispfad". Forest and nature lovers also highly appreciate the richly sorted grove nature trail of the Bavarian State Research Centre for Agriculture in Freising. Stimulating walks are possible in the public garden of the State Research Institute for Horticulture of Weihenstephan in Freising. The aforementioned pastime offers are supplemented by a whole myriad of most diverse clubs and associations in the cities, towns and communities. The offer thereby ranges from culture and tradition to mass sports and competitive sports. It comprises young men’s leagues (Burschenvereine) that are responsible for erecting the maypole every year as well as the sports clubs among whose members you can find top athletes and successful Olympic contenders.

Culture and Art

In the district of Freising there is a large variety of cultural events throughout the year, be that music, theatre, dance, exhibitions, readings or cinema. Teaching facilities, associations, social groupings and individuals moreover contribute to a diverse cultural life. The offer ranges from classical and folksy to modern styles: The interested citizen or visitor will always find a diversified art and culture program. The city of Freising offers public city tours, tours with different main topics and special guided tours for groups. For requests or the call of brochure, information or reservations please contact:

Up-to-date information can be found in the local section of the daily newspapers (Freisinger Tagblatt, Freisinger SZ, Moosburger Zeitung, Hallertauer Zeitung), on the local radio “Hitwelle” as well as in the free magazines published weekly or monthly, respectively (Forum Freising, Freisinger Wochenblatt, fink, puccini) and in the calendar of events of the city of Freising.

On the homepage of the District Office there is also a calendar of events (www.kreis-freising.de). From there you can also visit the homepage of the cities, towns and municipalities of the district in order to see what is offered there.

A Young District

The district of Freising is a young district. About one fifth of the citizens of the district are below 18 years of age. It thus ranks among the leading districts of all Bavarian counties. Correspondingly, the municipalities and the district have to face various demanding challenges: Child care, schools and recreational facilities must be offered and organized.

Child Care

The district of Freising offers a wide range of possibilities of child care: Sufficient kindergarten places are available in all municipalities. As the demand for child care facilities for children under three and for the care of school children increased strongly, there are intense endeavours to provide additional offers for these age groups. More day nursery places, new crèche groups in kindergartens accepting children of all ages and additional after-school care clubs are established. The care facilities for school children in the afternoon have been further developed in the past few years. Day mother projects in various municipalities as well as the Office for Youth and Family of the District Office moreover place day mothers or fathers. Youth clubs and youth centres as well as numerous clubs and associations provide a variety of leisure time facilities.

Schools

Numerous schools offer a broad spectrum of knowledge transfer. Along with the primary and secondary modern schools, five grammar schools, a technical college with upper vocational school, three secondary schools, a commercial college, a vocational school, a nurse’s training school and a support centre guarantee a modern and contemporary education. Most of the secondary schools are located in the cathedral city of Freising, which is classified as traditional school town. Three grammar schools deserve special mentioning: “Dom-Gymnasium”, a humanistic grammar school with an emphasis on modern languages, “Josef-Hofmiller-Gymnasium” with an emphasis on mathematics and science, and the grammar school emphasizing the Fine Arts ("Camerloher-Gymnasium"). Further grammar schools with an emphasis on mathematics and science are “Karl-Ritter-von-Frisch-Gymnasium” in Moosburg and “Oskar-Maria-Graf-Gymnasium” in Neufahrn.

The population increase is mirrored clearly in the constantly growing pupil figures. From 1994 to 2008, the district invested about 90 million Euros in its schools. This investment was used for a new secondary school in Eching and a support centre in Pulling; furthermore, extensions of the secondary school in Moosburg and of grammar schools in Moosburg and Freising and several other improvement measures in other schools were implemented. The need for establishing further schools or further extensions is continually examined.

Youth Welfare Work in Schools

The district of Freising stroke new paths in the 1990ies, when - together with the city of Freising - the district employed a youth social worker at a secondary modern school for the first time. Today, one cannot imagine the life without the youth welfare work at more than ten schools in the district of Freising. Thanks to the presence of the youth social workers on site, the respective offers can take place directly, target-oriented and promptly. These offers are present in surroundings, which most of the children and adolescents visit every day, where they spend a great part of their time, and which are distinctive for their further intellectual and social development. The offers are multifaceted: school cafeterias, one-to-one counselling (also for parents and teachers), projects regarding current topics such as violence, addiction, integration, search for apprenticeship training positions, or conflict resolution. All parties involved, schools, parents, children and adolescents, confirm from their experiences in everyday life how precious the impact of youth welfare work in schools really is. However, it is also extremely supportive for the pupils and their families. With this youth welfare work in schools the district of Freising emphasizes its fundamentally preventive approach in youth welfare.

Studying in Freising

The 21st century faces big challenges: Securing the sustentation of the world, the scarcity of fossil fuels and the climate change are the main topics of our time. In order to handle these tasks cutting-edge research is necessary – both in the bases as well as in the applications. The life sciences play a major role in this respect, since they encompass the entire range of topics from food production and the provision of biogenic raw materials to the preservation of a liveable environment.

The Technische Universität München (TUM) reacted to this challenge: In the Center of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan (Wissenschaftszentrum für Ernährung, Landnutzung und Umwelt WZW) TUM has bundled all skills in the field of life sciences in order to find new solutions for these existential questions. Biologists, physicist, chemists and engineers work and teach on the modern campus together with nutritionists and nutrition technologists. About 3,500 students prepare for their occupations with a future. The interdisciplinary combination of all segments of life sciences enables research regarding the entire life cycle of foodstuff and raw materials. The WZW researchers examine the value creation chain from the genetic and biological bases through production to processing and consumption. The close integration of the research disciplines is unique at the Center of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan.

A special focus is thereby on the schooling of young academics. The close interaction of research and teaching as well as of theory and practice is well received: For the more than 30 courses of study each year much more students apply than can be admitted. Study courses with doctorate and graduate schools are available for the scientific career. Alumni of the WZW have many possibilities in the labour market. Be that in the nutrition or food industry, in biotechnology companies, in agriculture or forestry or in sciences and research: Reams of occupational possibilities and careers are open to them.

Green, innovative, practical – these three words describe the Weihenstephan university of applied sciences. In the years since its establishment in 1971, the university succeeded in creating an unparalleled profile: No other university has a comparable range of subjects that is clearly and consistently focussed on the so-called “green” subjects. The study courses offer everything having to do with nature, nutrition and environment in the broadest sense and are as such unique in Bavaria. The faculties in Weihenstephan and Triesdorf, the “Federal Research Institute for Horticulture at Weihenstephan”, the “Research Institute for Horticulture” located in Schlachters as well as the “Science Centre for Renewable Raw Materials Straubing” are connected to build a green network. One thing they all have in common: the work in the field of teaching and researching for the preservation, shaping and use of our natural resources. In the framework of this joint target, the implementation methods are of course diverse - the range includes examination of the topic from a natural scientific point of view as well as from an artistic point of view, it ranges from High Tech to LandArt, from the molecule through the tree to the landform. The diversity of offers thereby realizes a self-contained professional cluster relating to the essential areas of life of man. It starts with the agricultural production of raw material, includes the processing of animal produce, covers relevant questions of nutrition and care and supply, considers the environmental requirements and reaches to the development of rural and urban spaces. With the seminal study courses “Management of Renewable Energies”, “Technology of Renewable Energies”, “Foodstuff Management” and “Renewable Raw Materials”, the Weihenstephan university of applied sciences safeguards a training passing all elements of the value creation chain: From the acre to the power outlet, or rather from the acre to the table. This educational mission is fulfilled on an international basis by means of double degree studies, internships and study visits as well as lived cooperations with numerous institutions of education worldwide.